The word "adjika" in Abkhazian means "salt". The appearance of the recipe for this seasoning is due to the Abkhazian shepherds. When they led their flocks of sheep to new pastures with young grass, which were in the mountains, so that their sheep gained weight faster, they gave them salt. However, salt at that time was expensive, because it was not available the way it is now. Therefore, shepherds resorted to the theft of salt, and to prevent this, the owners added salt to the pepper salt.
But enterprising shepherds found a way out. Adding to such salt some herbs, garlic and various seasonings, shepherds received a fine spicy mixture. The resulting mixture began to be called "apyrpyl jik", which in Abkhazian means "pepper salt" or "adjikttsattsa" - "salt, grated with something." It is this acute snack in the world called adjika.
The classic recipe for preparation of Adjika involves the use of only pepper, salt and garlic. This hot snack is an integral part of any Abkhazian table. The true process of preparing Adzhika has come to us through many centuries.
On a special flat stone, called the terochik (ahaya), salt and pepper and garlic are carefully and long rubbed. As a result of this process, an azhichnaya mixture is obtained, which resembles its own kind of butter. This adzhika is called "Abkhazian oil". This "oil" was prepared on the basis of smoked pepper and constituted the main part of the provisions of the warrior, sailor or hunter.
Nowadays the classic recipe for Adzhika has been slightly simplified. Instead of a technik, use a conventional bender, a mixer or a meat grinder, and apply not smoked pepper, but fresh.
To make an acute or "male" adzhika, you need 1 kg of bitter pepper, ¾ cup of salt (preferably coarse grinding), 0.5 kg of garlic and 0.5 glasses of different seasonings - hops - suneli, coriander, dill.
The use of garlic and hot pepper also provides sharp adjika. When preparing such adzhika you need to be very careful. To protect the skin of hands and eyes from external burns, rubber gloves should be used, and a plastic bag to collect the contents. One can only imagine how such a mixture acts on the walls of the gastric mucosa.
It is natural to use such adzhika only for people with excellent physical health. Therefore, the classic recipe can be slightly changed to soften the taste. To do this, part of the hot pepper can be replaced with sweet Bulgarian. The ratio can be different, the ideal recipe is 800 g of Bulgarian and 200 g of hot pepper. This is certainly not a classic recipe, but Adzhika is not as acute.
Pepper is cleaned, seeds and stems are removed, washed, and then grinded in a blender or meat grinder. Garlic and spices are also ground, then all combine and add salt. Herbs (parsley, dill, coriander or regan) can be added to taste. Ideally, the resulting mixture should be uniform and thick.
Today there are a lot of recipes for home Adzhika, and every housewife has his own. What is not added to it: tomatoes, carrots, apples, zucchini, onions, sweet peppers, horseradish, eggplant, walnuts and vegetable oil. It is clear that such recipes are far from traditional.
We bring to your attention the most common and one of the most successful recipes for preparing Adjika at home, the so-called "female adzhika." This adzhika turns out to be very tasty, tender and spicy, and can serve as an independent dish, and not just as a seasoning for meat and vegetables.
For its preparation, you need 2.5 kg of fresh tomato, which, if desired, can be replaced with 3 liters of tomato juice, 1 kg of carrots, bell peppers and sweet apples, 3 pcs of hot chili peppers. All vegetables and apples should be washed well, then cleaned and three times passed through a meat grinder. The resulting mixture is boiled for an hour, while stirring occasionally. 5 minutes before the end of the cooking process, add 200 g of garlic, 150 grams of sugar and sunflower oil, 150 ml of 9% vinegar, a quarter of a glass of coarse salt. All thoroughly mixed, brought to a boil and turned off. The resulting mixture is poured into sterilized jars and spun for the winter.
According to this recipe adzhika comes out gentle, vitamin and beautiful. It is used as a snack sauce for meat dishes, fish, chicken, potatoes, pasta. It can also be greased with bread, like butter. If you do not like sharp adzhika, then when cooking it, you should reduce the amount of garlic and bell pepper.